Our Favorite Progressive Candidates in 2026 - Elizabeth Ferris, West Virginia Senate District 15

West Virginia is undoubtedly a working-class state, with a long, rich history of organized labor. The state was on the forefront of the labor revolution against inhumane working conditions: the West Virginia coal mine wars raged for nine years, culminating in the Battle of Matewan. The ultimate effect of this revolution was the National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933, which empowered American workers and strengthened labor rights.

That is why West Virginia needs a representative who will fight for the working class, especially in a time where the rights of workers are being systematically rolled back nationwide, especially in West Virginia. Elizabeth Ferris (she/her), is a millennial teacher and writer who has had a diverse job history: hotel maid in northern Spain, nanny in Australia, garden worker on a commune in Sweden, and holiday delivery person for UPS. Elizabeth is passionate about reforming tax policy to eases the tax burden on the working class and shifts it back onto the wealthy; this will give West Virginia a better chance to invest in road infrastructure, make healthcare and childcare affordable for all, and improve the public school system. Elizabeth credits her Lutheran faith for guiding her toward serving the neediest; indeed, through her church she became co-chair of the Winchester Area Temporary Transitional Shelter Committee, helping provide homeless residents with a safe and warm bed from November to March every year.

After the Pink Slips: Trump’s Federal Layoffs Reshape America’s Job Market

President Donald Trump’s administration has initiated another round of federal layoffs, intensifying a campaign that has already cut tens of thousands of government jobs across the country. What began as a promise to “drain the swamp” has now become one of the most aggressive downsizing efforts in U.S. federal employment history. But behind the headlines lies a growing concern: how will this mass purge of federal workers affect the broader job market, and what happens to workers who don’t want to end up in farm or gig work?

Articles, zIssue 57.3Angelina DeSalvoJuly 31, 2025Trump administration, federal, government, supreme court, nasa, education, unemployment, unemployment rate, research, public health, environmental science, workforceComment